10+ Best Scholastic Books for 3-Year-Olds w/ Exercises (2024)

Are you on the lookout for the perfect reading material to spark your 3-year-old's imagination? Scholastic Books for 3-Year-Olds offer a treasure trove of options that are just right for little learners eager to explore the world through stories. Whether you're setting up a bedtime routine or fostering a budding bookworm, these books are designed to captivate and educate. Keep reading to discover our curated lists of Scholastic Books that will delight and engage your toddler!

Fun Scholastic Books for 3-Year-Olds

• Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Family
  • Synopsis: This charming book tells the story of Baby Llama experiencing bedtime separation anxiety as he waits for his mama to come back to his room.
  • Why we recommend this book: It's a great tool for discussing bedtime routines and managing separation anxiety, using soothing rhymes that calm the nerves of young listeners.
  • Perfect for: Toddlers who find bedtime a bit challenging and their caregivers.

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Educational
  • Synopsis: This classic features a caterpillar who eats his way through a wide variety of food before finally pupating and emerging as a butterfly.
  • Why we recommend this book: It introduces concepts of counting, the days of the week, and the life cycle of a butterfly, all wrapped in colorful and engaging illustrations.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who enjoy nature and learning about animal transformations.

• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert
  • Genre(s): Alphabet, Rhyming
  • Synopsis: In this lively story, the letters of the alphabet race each other up the coconut tree. Will there be enough room? Oh no - Chicka Chicka Boom! Boom!
  • Why we recommend this book: Its rhythmic, playful text makes learning the alphabet fun and memorable, paired with bold, cheerful illustrations.
  • Perfect for: Preschoolers who are starting to learn the alphabet and enjoy rhythmic, energetic stories.

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Animal, Rhyming
  • Synopsis: A big happy frog, a plump purple cat, a handsome blue horse, and a soft yellow duck all parade across the pages of this delightful book.
  • Why we recommend this book: Its repetitive structure promotes memorization and prediction skills, important steps in reading readiness.
  • Perfect for: Children who love animals and parents looking for a playful way to introduce colors and creatures.

• Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Humor
  • Synopsis: This nearly wordless book shows a mischievous gorilla who steals a zookeeper's keys and releases a host of animals to follow the unsuspecting man home for the night.
  • Why we recommend this book: It encourages storytelling through pictures, which enhances imagination and understanding of visual cues.
  • Perfect for: Youngsters who delight in animals and playful stories, especially those who are just beginning to understand narrative flow.

Educational Scholastic Books for 3-Year-Olds

• Peek-A Who? by Nina Laden
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Interactive
  • Synopsis: This engaging book uses rhyming and simple text alongside colorful illustrations that hide a surprise behind each page, encouraging toddlers to guess what might be peeking through the die-cut windows.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Sensory skills, prediction, rhyming
  • Why we recommend this book: It's interactive and playful, perfect for keeping young children engaged and encouraging them to interact with the book.
  • Perfect for: Toddlers who love playing peekaboo and enjoy interactive reading sessions.

• First 100 Words by Roger Priddy
  • Genre(s): Educational, Board Book
  • Synopsis: This book introduces young children to 100 essential first words and pictures, covering everything from food to animals to toys.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Vocabulary building, picture-word association
  • Why we recommend this book: It's a simple and effective way to help expand a toddler's vocabulary and recognition of everyday objects.
  • Perfect for: Young learners who are just starting to form words and parents looking to stimulate language skills.

• Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
  • Genre(s): Lift-the-Flap, Animal
  • Synopsis: A child writes to the zoo asking them to send a pet. The book takes young readers through a series of flap surprises as various animals are sent before finding the perfect pet.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Animal recognition, problem-solving
  • Why we recommend this book: Its interactive lift-the-flap format makes it a fun read for children, who will enjoy the anticipation and surprise of discovering each animal.
  • Perfect for: Preschoolers who like animals and interactive books with flaps to explore.

• Where's Spot? by Eric Hill
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Lift-the-Flap
  • Synopsis: In this playful book, Sally searches for her missing puppy, Spot, around the house. Children lift flaps to see if Spot is hiding behind them, encountering other animals along the way.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Object permanence, spatial awareness, animal names
  • Why we recommend this book: It's a delightful lift-the-flap adventure that encourages curiosity and interactive reading.
  • Perfect for: Toddlers and preschoolers who enjoy hide-and-seek games and stories involving animals.

• Time for Bed by Mem Fox, illustrated by Jane Dyer
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Bedtime
  • Synopsis: This gentle, rhyming story features various baby animals getting ready for bed, with soothing text that helps prepare children for sleep.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Routine building, rhyming
  • Why we recommend this book: Its lyrical text and calming rhythm make it an ideal bedtime read, helping to establish a nighttime routine.
  • Perfect for: Young children who need help winding down at night and parents seeking a peaceful bedtime story.

Challenging Scholastic Books for 3-Year-Olds

• One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale by Demi
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Mathematical, Folklore
  • Synopsis: This folktale from India tells the story of a clever girl who outsmarts a greedy raja using her knowledge of exponential growth, receiving one grain of rice, doubled each day for 30 days.
  • Why this book is challenging: It introduces mathematical concepts like exponential growth and doubling, which are advanced for this age group but presented in an accessible way.
  • Why we recommend this book: It combines storytelling with math, encouraging critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who show an early interest in numbers and patterns.

• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Adventure, Weather
  • Synopsis: This story captures the adventures of a young boy named Peter as he explores his neighborhood after the first snowfall of the season.
  • Why this book is challenging: It uses a simple narrative to explore complex themes of discovery and the joy of experiencing something new.
  • Why we recommend this book: It’s a celebration of curiosity and the small wonders of the world, perfect for encouraging exploration and observation.
  • Perfect for: Children who enjoy snowy days and adventures outdoors.

• Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business by Esphyr Slobodkina
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Humor, Classic
  • Synopsis: This timeless tale follows a cap-selling peddler who deals with mischievous monkeys who steal his wares from atop his head.
  • Why this book is challenging: It features repetitive, cumulative text that helps build memory and prediction skills, which are advanced cognitive skills for toddlers.
  • Why we recommend this book: Its playful story and repetitive phrases make it engaging and memorable, ideal for developing early reading skills.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who enjoy animals, humor, and a bit of mischief.

• Swimmy by Leo Lionni
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Adventure, Ocean Life
  • Synopsis: Swimmy, a small black fish, finds himself alone in the ocean and learns to survive by teaching other small fish to swim together in the shape of a big fish.
  • Why this book is challenging: It introduces concepts of cooperation and the benefits of working together, which are complex social skills for young children.
  • Why we recommend this book: It teaches important lessons about teamwork and the power of innovation in overcoming obstacles.
  • Perfect for: Young children who are fascinated by sea creatures and stories of adventure and collaboration.

• Frederick by Leo Lionni
  • Genre(s): Picture Book, Arts, Social Skills
  • Synopsis: Unlike his industrious fellow mice who gather food for winter, Frederick collects sun rays, colors, and words, which come in handy during the cold months.
  • Why this book is challenging: It explores the role of art and poetry in society, encouraging young readers to think about abstract concepts like beauty and emotional sustenance.
  • Why we recommend this book: It highlights the value of creativity and different types of contributions, which is a sophisticated theme wrapped in a simple story.
  • Perfect for: Children who are thoughtful and imaginative, and who might appreciate the less tangible aspects of life.

Exercises to Develop a Good Reading Habit

Hey there! If you're looking to help your 3-year-old develop great reading habits early on, Scholastic books are a fantastic resource. Here are some engaging exercises that can complement those colorful pages and make reading a fun part of your child's daily routine.

• Picture Walk
  • What it is: Flip through the book and talk about the pictures before reading the text.
  • How it helps: Enhances prediction skills and sets a purpose for reading.
  • Tips: Ask your child to guess what might happen in the story based on the pictures.

• Rhyme Time
  • What it is: Identify and create rhymes using words from the book.
  • How it helps: Improves phonemic awareness, which is crucial for learning to read.
  • Tips: Make it a sing-song game to keep it light and fun.

• Story Role-Play
  • What it is: Act out the story with your child after reading it.
  • How it helps: Boosts comprehension and recall abilities.
  • Tips: Use simple props or costumes to make the role-play more engaging.

• Repeat After Me
  • What it is: Read a sentence and then have your child repeat it back to you.
  • How it helps: Helps with memory and understanding sentence structure.
  • Tips: Praise your child for each successful repetition to encourage participation.

• Story Sequencing
  • What it is: Discuss the events of the story in the order they happened.
  • How it helps: Enhances understanding of narrative structure and sequencing.
  • Tips: Use illustrations in the book as visual cues to aid memory.

• Word Hunt
  • What it is: Look for specific letters or words on a page.
  • How it helps: Helps with letter recognition and vocabulary building.
  • Tips: Start with letters in your child’s name or familiar objects.

• Book-Based Drawing
  • What it is: Encourage your child to draw scenes or characters from the story.
  • How it helps: Fosters creativity and helps with visual interpretation of text.
  • Tips: Display their artwork to show that their work is valued.

These exercises are not just about reading; they're about making reading a dynamic and interactive part of your child’s life. By incorporating these playful and educational activities, you’re setting the stage for a lifelong love of books and learning. Happy reading!